Augustana Horn Choir Gets Its Brass Up This Weekend

The Horns are calling! Augie’s Horn Choir is performing on Sunday, February 5 at 4:00 p.m. at Wallenberg Hall on Augustana Campus. This recital will include performances of Wagner, Saint-Saens, Strauss, and many more! The first half of the program will be performed by junior hornist, Alina Lundholm, accompanied by Dr. Charles Schmidt and a duet will be performed with senior hornist Bri Meyer. The Horn Choir will join them for the second half. Wallenberg Hall is located at 3520 7th Ave in Rock Island and this event is free. This’ll definitely be a rare experience you won’t want to forget!

I had the opportunity to ask Alina Lundholm some questions about the concert and her love of the horn. She has been playing the horn since she was 10 and loves the unique timbre of the instrument. “The horn represents the heroic voice of bravery and courage,” she said. When I asked her about the Horn Choir, she told me, “We have eight members, including Lee Kessinger, our professor. We’ll be playing a number of pieces arranged for horn ensemble including a thrilling fanfare, a Wagner complication, a German waltz piece- where Bri Meyer and I get to pound out some brassy low notes-and ending with a jazzy horn Trippery, my personal favorite.”

“I already mentioned the horn choir pieces, but I am playing one short solo piece, a longer counter-piece, and a duet with the impeccable Bri Meyer, Nocturno by Franz Strauss-father of the famous Richard-is a lovely bit of music. I feel so peaceful when I play it. Then my larger piece is Morceau de Concret by Camille Saint-Saens, one my favorite composers. “

“I joined Horn Choir my winter term of my freshmen year. I love it because I get to spend time making music with my favorite people on the planet, hornists. Fall and winter terms are our only seasons; we do not meet spring term, so after this recital it will be the horn choir’s last official performance of the year.” It’s not every day you get to hear a horn performance, so come to Augustana and hear the concert of a lifetime.

Cheyanne Lencioni is a student at Augustana College and has been writing stories for 8 years. She is on the college’s Equestrian Team and Fencing Club as well as a member of Augustana’s Collegia Classica Classics Language group and wants to be a published Author after graduation.